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Then and Now: 2010 Is Looking a Lot Like 2006

The latest Pew survey includes a line and some correlating data that caught our eye: “In many ways, the 2010 campaign is shaping up as a mirror image of the midterm election four years ago.”

How so? In 2006—when Democrats took control of Congress—more Democratic than Republican voters said national issues would have the biggest impact on how they vote. In 2010, more Republican voters than Democratic voters say national issues are their top concern.

In 2006, Democratic voters were more likely to oppose their incumbent over Republicans, 39%-22%, while in 2010, more Republicans oppose their incumbent’s re-election, 44%-22%.

And the issue of which party controls Congress is as big an issue for Republicans in 2010 as it was for Democrats in 2006: 66% of Republicans today say who controls Congress will factor in to their vote, while 57% of Democrats say the same. That’s an almost exact reversal of four years ago when 68% of Democrats cited congressional control as an issue while 55% of Republicans said the same.

A key difference between then and now, however, is the White House. President Barack Obama is not weighing down Democratic candidates the same way President George W. Bush was a drag on the GOP in 2006. . .